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Heart
Healthy-Heart Wise
February has
been wisely chosen by the American Heart Association as
Heart Healthy month. How my heart flutters when I start
to see all the cupids and red hearts and lacy Valentines
appear in the environment. A romantic at heart, I
cherish the lovey-dovey sentimentality that fills the
stores at this time of the year.
And is all of
this just another card manufacturer’s dream come true,
or does this out pouring of love really have an effect
on our health? According to Dr. Dean Ornish, MD, author
and researcher of Reversing Heart Disease, it does. Dr.
Ornish’s program, which has been recognized as
reversing coronary artery disease without surgery,
relies on diet, exercise, meditation and group support
as components of the recovery process. The heart shape,
loosely taken from the shape of our bodily organ, is
used to represent love in our culture. Dr. Ornish’s
remarkable success with potential by-pass patients uses
love, relationship, optimism, and support as part of the
program to get well. Love flows from our heart. Love
flows to our heart. We feel better. We get well. For
more details, contact Swedish Hospital, where an Ornish
clinic has been established.
To help our
heart keep functioning to its best capacity, we want to
eat a low saturated fat diet. Saturated fat comes mainly
from animal products. By limiting our animal product
intake, we can keep our cholesterol low and keep our
arteries clearer. Eating healthy fat from plant based
foods including olive oil and flax seed oil will
contribute to good heart health. Eating cold water fish
such as salmon, tuna, halibut and sardines, or consuming
fish oils, borage oil, evening primrose oil and Vitamin
E will also add to good cardio-vascular health.
Exercise, both
aerobic and anaerobic, helps lower our heart rate and
blood pressure, which makes it easier for our heart to
do its job. It also gets those endorphins going which
makes us feel better. Adding the antioxidant cascade,
A-C-E-S, beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and
selenium insures you lower the risk of free radical
damage, which often contributes to heart disease.
Supplements,
mentioned by Dr. Andrew Weil on his website, for good
heart health are folic acid, Vitamin B6, Co-enzyme Q 10,
and hawthorn. The B vitamins help to lower your
homocysteine, which can raise your risk of heart
problems. Co-Q10 helps to carry oxygen around your body.
Hawthorn is a natural diuretic and increases coronary
flow.
Surprise!
Brushing your teeth can contribute to your heart health,
too. Some
of the same bacteria prevalent in mouth plaque has shown
to be present in people who developed viral cardiac
diseases. This is some of the same bacteria that causes
periodontal problems.
So brush your
teeth, put on a smile, exercise, take your vitamins, eat
a low fat diet, send and receive love, and you should
lead a happy, healthy and hearty life. |
